Bracelet.



No. 895,866. PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

S; B. KENT.

BRACELET.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, 1907.

TTORNE Y.

STEPHEN B. KENT, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

BRACEIJE T.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 190 8.

- Application filed November 5, 1907. Serial No. 400,863.

T 0 all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, STEPH N B. KENT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bracelets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rings or bands designed to encircle .the wrist or arm I or purposes of ornamentation or adornment, and known as bracelets.

At the present time, the public fancy has created a demand for a seemingly unbroken ring or band of metal. An integral ring or band, if of a Size which insures its being retained in proper positionon the armor wrist, will not readily slip oniand ofiover the hand, and braceletsof this style are therefore made in two segments with attempt to entirely concealboth hinge andrclasp when the bracelet is closed, thus presenting the appearance of asmooth and .polishedintegral structure. Such bracelets are usually constructed from hollowor tubular wire, and to prevent loss of the article in case of accidental unclasping while being worn, a flexible and preferably .elastic blade or guard is provided which bridges the gap between the free ends of the segments when the bracelet is open and is telescoped into one of said segments and entirely concealed when the bracelet is closed.

The present invention has to do with improvements in this guardiand in its .operation, and, incidentally, with the locking clasp, and has for itsgenerallobjects simplicity, dependability and durability.

My invention will .be more readily-understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a-closed bracelet embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the bracelet in an open condition; Fig. .3 is an enlarged plan view of the clasp and guard member, and Fig. 4 is a still further, enlarged sectional view of theclasp portion of said member.

Referring now to the drawings in detail,

.numerals 7 and 8 refer to similar segments,

of hollow or tubular wire, which together form the substantially annular bracelet. These segments are hinged together at 9, the character of this hinge being well known to manufacturing jewelers, leaving no apparent evidences of its existence when the bracelet catch-piece 18 has another function.

is closed, and forms no part of the present invention.

-Within the end of the segment 7 is secured, preferably by soldering, the cylindrical plug 10,-the end of which projects for a slight distance from the mouth of the segment. Secured-preferably by soldering-witl1in this plug 10 is theend of the arm 11 of the U- shaped clasp and guard-carrying member 1.2, which projects from said plug. This member 12 isof spring metal, whereby the arm 13 thereof, which renters the plug 10, is constantly subject to a slight yielding force in an outward direction.

The guard 14 isa strand orblade of preferably spring metal, provided at one end with the small ring 15 in chain-like inter-engagement with a transversely disposed ring 16 secured to or integral with the end of the member 12, thus forming 'what may be termed a universal joint. The other end of the guard 14 is provided with a hook--0r laterally bent portion to provide the stop 17 which, when the parts are assembled, is within the tubular segment 8 where it is retainedbo th to bridge the space between the free ends of the segments and to limit the distance of their separation-by engagement with the lug or catch-piece 18 located within the segment 8 at a .short distance from its mouth.

It will be apparent thatas the free ends of the s'egmentsare brought together from an open position, the guard 14 will pass into the space within the hollow segment 8, and, being flexible, will readily conform to the lineal configuration thereof, and further, being preferably elastic, will return to a normal shape when, the bracelet is opened. In this .manner, whether open or closed, the

. bracelet is invariably of completely annular structure and cannot slip otl'exccpt over the handwhile being worn should the ends become unclasped; nor can the ends of the segments be separated sufiiciently to break the delicate hinge at their other ends or the parts or members of which said hinge is composed.

In addition to retaining the end of the guard 14 within the segment 8, the lug fir T e spring arm 13 of themember 12 is provided with a shoulder or stop 19 which tapers from its apex toward the end of said member whereby the usual snap-catch cooperation is effected between the stop 19 and the catchpiece 18 as the ends of the segments are brought together. In this manner, the segments-are locked together when closed, and inasmuch as the end of the segment 8 telescopes over the projecting end of the plug 10, which is of the same exterior diameter as the interior diameter of the segments, a per 'lectly smooth joint may be insured with little, if any, a parent evidences of its existence. The p ug 1.0, furthermore, serves as a brace which materially strengthens the union and insures against breakage at 'the joint or of the parts thereof due to any ordinary transverse strains.

At the end of the arm 13 I mount the pin 20 which projects through registering apertures of suitable size in the plug 10 and the segment 7, and provides an accessible button 21 by means of which the arm 13 may be pressed inwardly until the shoulder or stop 19 clears the catch-piece 18 and releases the clasp for separation of the ends of the segments or o ening of the bracelet.

It is Wel known that bracelets of this character, when closed, present a rigidly interlocked structure of considerable strength, capable of successfully resisting any ordinary strains, but when open are exceedingly liable to breakage on account of the usual softness of the metal, the character of the hinge 9, and the necessary small crosssectional area of the strand or bar from which the guard 14 is formed. When this guard is integral with or rigidly secured to the segment 7, it is much too easily broken by comparatively slight lateral strains. A particularly valuable feature of the present invention, therefore, is the character of the connection between said guard and the segment to which it is secured, which permits of considerable linear displacement of the free ends of the segments, a ainst yielding forces, without possibility of fracturing or permanently distorting said guard.

I claim asmy invention and desire'to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A bracelet comprising suitably hinged segments and a guard which bridges the space between the free ends of said segments when separated, said guard being secured to one of said segments by a universal joint and both guard and joint being completely incased by said segments when closed.

2. A bracelet comprising suitably hinged segments and a guard which bridges the space between the free ends of said segments when separated, said guard being hinged to one of said segments and telescoping into the other segment.

3. A bracelet comprising suitably hinged segments and a guard which bridges the space between the free ends of said segments when separated, said guard being hinged at one end when said bracelet is closed.

5. A bracelet comprising suitably hinged, tubular segments, and a cylindrical plug in the end of one thereof which forms a seat for the end of the other, and a guard hinged to said plug and adapted to bridge the space between said ends when the bracelet is open.

6. A bracelet comprising suitably hinged, tubular segments, a cylindrical plug in the end of one thereof which forms a seat for, the end of the other a guard secured to said plug by a universal joint and adapted to bridge the space between said ends when separated, and a clasp to lock said ends together.

7. A bracelet comprising suitably hinged, tubular segments, a cylindrical plug in the end of one thereof which forms a seat for the end of the other, a guard hinged to saidplug and telescoping into the opposing segment, a clasp to lock said ends together, and means for preventing withdrawal of the end of said guard from either segment.

8. A bracelet comprising suitably hinged, tubular segments, a cylindrical plug in the end of one-thereof which forms a seat for the end of the other, a guard secured to said plug 7 by a universal joint and telescoping into the opposing segment, a clasp to lock said ends together, and means for preventing withdrawal of the end of said guard from said opposing segment, said guard, support and clasp being completely incased by said segments when closed.

9. A bracelet comprising suitably hinged, tubular segments, a cylindrical plug in the end of one thereof which forms a seat for the end of the other, a guard having pivotal connection with said plug and telesco ing into the opposing segment, a clasp to lock said ends together, and means for preventing complete withdrawal of said guard from said opposing segment, said guard, support and clasp being completely incased by said segments when closed.

In testimony of the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN B, KENT. Witnesses:

F. O. TOMLINSON, H. R. BAUER. 

